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Articles from Marnie Green | Selfgrowth.com
- What Does It Take to Get a "5" on My Performance Evaluation? - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2011 from Marnie GreenIf you are responsible for completing performance evaluations for employees, be prepared to answer the age-old question: "What does it take to get a ____ rating?" Regardless of the scale used in your organization's performance management system, employees will either ask you or wonder what they ...
Views: 815(2 votes) - Myths of the Rating Scale - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2011 from Marnie GreenThere are some wacky ideas out there when it comes to rating employee performance. If your organization's performance evaluation system uses a rating scale, you have inevitably heard some crazy ideas about performance evaluations. The following "myths" prevent us from using the performance ...
Views: 1158 - What Everyone Knows - by Submitted on May 12, 2011 from Marnie GreenEvery organization has a set of beliefs, or norms, that guide day to day interactions and processes. Organizational beliefs help to frame our decision making and allow us to be consistent and efficient. In public agencies, there are a lot of them. Sometimes, however, our beliefs become so ...
Views: 894 - Be Goals, Do Goals - by Submitted on Apr 15, 2011 from Marnie GreenAre you a finisher? Do you love the feel of completing a task and checking it off your list? Goal completion is a strong human motivator. Yet, writing significant goals that have a positive impact on the work environment can be tough. Here's a framework to consider the next time you begin to ...
Views: 3833(1 vote) - O-o-O: The Most Powerful Management Tool - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2011 from Marnie GreenThe regularly scheduled one-on-one has been called the most powerful management tool we have. Yet many public sector managers are not having regular one-on-one (O-o-O) meetings with employees. To make the O-o-O effective, it should be regularly scheduled (every other Tuesday at 9AM or every ...
Views: 790 - Who Says It Can't Be Done in the Public Sector? - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2011 from Marnie GreenFast Company magazine recently featured a creative example of public sector innovation in the face of budgetary constraints. We can all learn from this example. The article profiled Marcel Melanson, Battalion Chief of the Compton, CA Fire Department. Melanson, at the age of 32, is one of the ...
Views: 795 - Performance Evaluations Don't Have to Be Painful - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Marnie GreenWhy does performance evaluation season come with a sense of dread and anxiety? Why do we shrink from this annual routine with such pessimism? Managers and employees alike prefer to shun the performance management process and for good reason. Our long-held and strongly modeled beliefs about ...
Views: 1274(6 votes) - Ideal Isn't Ideal - by Submitted on Jun 04, 2010 from Marnie GreenPersonally and professionally many of us have been content with the status quo. And it's worked for us. I know you are saying, "Hey wait! I'm innovative!" and you probably are in many ways. Still, we are now presented with opportunities to reinvent our world like never before. Let's take a look ...
Views: 1548(5 votes) - Laying Off? Communicate Early and Often - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2010 from Marnie GreenWhile the economy appears to be lifting from its fog there are still organizations facing the prospect of layoffs. The process of laying employees off is fraught with peril. There are laws to follow and timelines to respect. There is work to restructure and budgets to balance. In all of the ...
Views: 1261(1 vote) - Escaping the Talker - by Submitted on Apr 23, 2010 from Marnie GreenWhile I'd be the first person to espouse the virtues of active listening and have done so in many settings, sometimes you just need to get away! In most workplace situations, it is expected that you will give the other person ample regard and actively engage in a conversation when they have a ...
Views: 1026(1 vote) - Four Signs You May be Abdicating Your Responsibilities - by Submitted on Mar 03, 2010 from Marnie GreenJane leads a team of professionals who routinely deliver high quality, innovative products. The environment is fast-paced and creative. When Tom joined the organization, his teammates immediately showed him support. After all, Tom's a "nice guy." Now, after 18 months, Jane realizes that Tom is ...
Views: 782 - Doing All the Talking - by Submitted on Feb 03, 2010 from Marnie GreenOn a recent cross-country flight I was seated in front of a gentleman who was highly intelligent, skillfully articulate, and utterly clueless. How did I know all this about the man who sat behind me? For the entire four hour flight he talked, and talked, and talked, and talked. I learned about ...
Views: 921(1 vote) - Questions Instead of Answers - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2010 from Marnie GreenPowerful and purposeful questions are an integral part of engaging employees in conversations about issues you can't solve on your own. You can't do it all yourself. As a manager, the input of your employees is vital to your ability to innovate, create, and in this current environment, survive. ...
Views: 765(1 vote) - You Choose: Laugh or Cry - by Submitted on Dec 02, 2009 from Marnie GreenSome days are filled with one challenge after another. Today was one of those days. What made it so challenging? Here are a few of the highlights. I woke up late with a four mile run ahead of me. I’m training for another half-marathon and if I don’t get the requisite miles in I’m going to be ...
Views: 750(1 vote) - Powerful Plurals - by Submitted on Oct 08, 2009 from Marnie GreenRecently, E-Tips have been focusing on the power of questions to build relationships and to engage employees in performance conversations. This month we offer a very subtle but powerful trick for expanding the possibilities of your conversations. Here's the trick: Use plural nouns to open or ...
Views: 866(2 votes) - Are You Open - by Submitted on Sep 06, 2009 from Marnie GreenIn a previous article, "Powerful Questions for Powerful Leaders," we began a series of tips designed to build your skills in asking powerful questions. You've heard me say time and time again, "questions are the key to a meaningful performance conversation." We first explored the concept that ...
Views: 746(2 votes) - Powerful Questions for Powerful Leaders - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2009 from Marnie GreenIf you've been reading e-tips for awhile, you know that powerful questions lead to more meaningful performance conversations. You can't do all the talking and expect an employee to really buy in to your ideas. You have to engage them in the exchange. For most of us but those highly skilled ...
Views: 765(4 votes) - Tough Questions for Tough Times - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2009 from Marnie GreenWe are facing workplace challenges many of us have never faced before. If your organization is facing layoffs, reorganizations, or other upheavals, you are probably spending your days looking at budgets and planning for a new reality. You are working hard to make the best decisions to get ...
Views: 715(3 votes) - Judgment vs. Feedback - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2009 from Marnie GreenPart of a manager's job is to give feedback to employees to help them meet and exceed expectations for performance. It should be easy, right? Just share your perspectives with the employee and they will improve, grow, and develop. As easy as this concept sounds, most managers struggle with ...
Views: 1702(4 votes) - More Tips for Enhancing Your Personal Confidence? - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2009 from Marnie GreenLast month we offered five tips for building managerial confidence. These tips included: 1. If not you, then who? 2. Build mastery. 3. Model successful people. 4. Practice visualization. 5. Mind your negative thoughts. Those five tips were only the start. Here are five more tips ...
Views: 758(2 votes) - Tips for Enhancing Your Personal Confidence - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2009 from Marnie GreenA primary goal of our new Painless Performance Conversations workshop is to build confidence in leaders so that they can successfully conduct the tough, yet important, conversations with employees. Here are five tips for boosting your confidence as a performance manager: 1. If not you, then ...
Views: 734(2 votes) - Resiliency Differentiates - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2009 from Marnie GreenI've heard from quite a few people lately who have lost their jobs, taken pay cuts, or are otherwise in a tough situation. They are struggling, not just financially, but emotionally. For many people, the comfortable stability that we have grown accustomed to has been rocked. We will get through ...
Views: 926(3 votes) - You Have to Have the Guts - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2009 from Marnie GreenAs a manager you've probably faced some tough employee situations. Many of those "tough" situations often involve an employee not doing what you expect them to do or not delivering on what they were hired to produce. These situations are tough because they require you to have a conversation to ...
Views: 682(2 votes) - It's Okay to Say "I Don't Know" - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2009 from Marnie GreenIt's almost a waste of ink to say these are uncertain times. We hear it everyday. No matter what business you are in, you've probably experienced ups and downs lately and your employees are probably asking or at least wondering: • Is my job safe? • Is the organization financially sound? • ...
Views: 838(2 votes) - Involve, Don’t Prescribe - Performance Conversation Tips - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2009 from Marnie GreenI can listen to another person's problems or complaints and tell them exactly what they should do. Can't you? It's easy for us to see what others need to do to fix a problem, resolve a conflict, or find happiness. But for some reason, they don't usually take our advice, do they? Managers ...
Views: 892(2 votes) - Painless Performance Conversations - Focus on Behaviors - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2009 from Marnie GreenIs there a conversation you need to have with an employee that you're avoiding because you know it's going to be unpleasant? With the job of supervision comes the task of addressing problems or tough issues even though you'd rather not. We procrastinate. We "wait and see" if the problem will ...
Views: 1379(2 votes) - Performance Evaluations: What's the Point? - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2009 from Marnie GreenPerformance evaluations are one of those things we just do in organizations. And often we don't really know why the heck we're doing them. I recently asked a group of employees why we do performance evaluations. I asked, "Why do we bother to design fancy forms, conduct training, and write ...
Views: 1459(4 votes) - Even Michael Phelps Needs Feedback - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2009 from Marnie GreenLike many, I spent hours this summer enjoying the feats and activities of the Summer Olympics, and I was especially amazed at the accomplishments of Michael Phelps. After one race, I noticed something especially interesting from a performance management standpoint: immediately after ...
Views: 852(3 votes) - Give Me a Break - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2009 from Marnie GreenIn today's busy world of cell phones, email, text messages, voice mail, instant messenger, and who knows what else, it's easy to get sucked in to being "on call" all the time. When we are available and responsive at all times, we think we are doing the right thing--providing great service to our ...
Views: 763(3 votes) - Downers, De-motivators and Bad Energy - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2009 from Marnie GreenThis week my husband Steve and I took a spinning class at our gym. We enjoy attending these high energy, calorie-burning indoor bicycle classes as much for the mental boost as for the physical benefit. The music is loud, the class participants are positive, and the instructors are typically ...
Views: 780(2 votes) - Squirting Motivation into Employees - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2009 from Marnie GreenMost of the time I'm pretty motivated and enthusiastic about work. What's not to be excited about? I get to share my passion for leadership with people who truly benefit from my work. I make my own hours and often work with two cute dogs at my feet. I realize, however, that not everyone ...
Views: 943(2 votes) - Tough Messages in Tough Times - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2009 from Marnie GreenMany of the organizations I've been working with recently are facing tough times. If they aren't laying people off, they are cutting budgets big time. We all know the slumping economy translates into difficult decisions in the workplace. And how these decisions are carried out impact how ...
Views: 756(3 votes) - Do Your Goals Get Away From You? - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2009 from Marnie GreenEffective employee performance management is really all about clear expectations. Many of you use SMAART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Agreed Upon, Realistic, and Time-Oriented) goals to help employees focus on the most important things at work. But can you have too much of a good thing? ...
Views: 741(4 votes) - It's Not My Father's Workplace Anymore - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2009 from Marnie GreenMy father, William Finley, and I recently compared views of the world of work. When Dad was the President of SCF of AZ (he retired in 1987) there were certain "rules" that everyone in the workplace lived by. They were the "laws" you followed if you wanted to get ahead. A few of the beliefs ...
Views: 790(12 votes) - Creating Momentum - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2009 from Marnie Green2008 has started out strong for me. I completed my first half marathon (13.1 miles!!!), secured some exciting new contracts, and have planned a great vacation for later this year. I'm psyched. And, I can't stop thinking things like: Where am I going this year? What do I want to ...
Views: 715(2 votes) - Read My Mind - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2009 from Marnie GreenI wish I would have received mind-reading abilities as a holiday gift. If only I could have an expectation and everyone around me would know what I was thinking and they'd just respond the way I want them to. That would come in handy as a supervisor. Imagine that all you had to do was vividly ...
Views: 791(5 votes)